Gulffront project rejected by planning board

Planning commissioners in Bradenton Beach have recommended the city commission deny the construction of two Gulffront duplexes in the city.

By a unanimous vote July 11, the board recommended denial of the proposed large-scale amendment to the city's comprehensive plan that would be needed to allow the duplexes.

Developers of the proposed units at 1402 and 1404 Gulf Drive, Island Inc. and Beach Development Inc., appeared before Bradenton Beach officials in 2000 to request rezoning of the property. The lots were once thought to be part of the Bermuda Bay development across Gulf Drive, but ownership transferred to two other corporations.

Developers claimed in 2000 that a scrivener's error had the property zoned for preservation within the city's comprehensive plan, which also states the area consists of special soils that should preclude development of any structures.

City officials eventually denied the request. The developers took the matter to court, where a circuit court judge upheld the city's denial. On appeal, though, the matter was reversed and the city was ordered to allow the original request, which was a small-scale comprehensive plan amendment.

However, when the change was forwarded to the Florida Department of Community Affairs, the agency in charge of comp plans within the state, it determined the matter was not at all a small comp-plan amendment, but a large-scale amendment.

The process began again at the planning and zoning board level earlier this year due to that decision. The P&Z recommendation will be presented to the city commission for consideration, probably next month.

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